Youth mental health centre in demand

The clinical manager of Mackay's youth mental health facility says he is surprised by how much demand there is for the service.

More than 100 young people have accessed the Headspace Centre since it opened six weeks ago.

Dr Phillip Stacey says adolescent anxiety is a common issue being raised.

However, he says it has had a variety of enquiries.

"There have been some really interesting things we didn't expect, like we've been getting new mums through, young mums ... having some problems and that was one thing that we didn't expect when we were expecting to see youths," he said.

"But we're getting a huge, broad spectrum, from the more clinical issues right through to school stress.

"It's a really rewarding experience seeing people coming in distressed and leaving smiling."

Dr Kevin Arlett from Townsville Mackay Medicare Local, which operates Headspace, says the centre is better meeting the needs of young people.

"What's happened traditionally is that there's been a large number of organisations working with youth and that hasn't been coordinated to any great degree," he said.

"So what Headspace does is give it a focus, a central point for the young people to come to and get whatever help they particularly need and if you have a large number of organisations involved all at once, they can get the right help at the right time."